


What's In A Name?

by admiralandrea



Category: NCIS: Los Angeles, Stargate Atlantis
Genre: First Meetings, Friendship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-14
Updated: 2020-06-14
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:13:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24714394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/admiralandrea/pseuds/admiralandrea
Summary: G Callen walks into a gym on Atlantis and meets Ronon Dex
Relationships: G Callen/Sam Hanna
Comments: 2
Kudos: 22
Collections: A Ficathon Goes Into A Bar





	What's In A Name?

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Spring 2020 round of Intoabar on Dreamwidth.

Callen lingered in the doorway to the gym on Atlantis that he’d been directed to by Major Lorne. He’d been told that Specialist Ronon Dex conducted all the physical fitness evaluations for non-military personnel and that he could be found in this gym most mornings. There was no need to set up a formal appointment, just turn up and explain why he was there.

Ronon was easily identifiable by the decidedly non-military length of his hair, which put even Colonel Sheppard’s cowlicks to shame. The tattoos weren’t really an indicator of non-military status, as Callen well knew from close acquaintance with Sam. In fact, the reverse was more often the case.

Callen finally entered the gym, which was busy with Marines going through a drill led by Ronon. He skirted round the edge of the room and settled on a bench, putting down his water bottle and watched the rest of Ronon’s routine.

When he was done, Ronon crossed over to the bench and picked up his own bottle of water, gulping it down quickly.

“You Callen?” he asked when it was empty.

Callen nodded. “Alright, let’s see what you’ve got,” Ronon told him, without any further questioning and led the way to where several mats were laid out.

Callen was glad when he was asked if he needed to warm up first. He wasn’t as young as he used to be and even though he’d never admit it to Sam, all his injuries had taken a toll on his body. He wouldn’t get the benefit of a warm up in real life, but as this was an evaluation of his abilities, Ronon waited him out.

*

It wasn’t long before they were going through some moves, before Ronon nodded. “Ready?” he asked, obviously satisfied with what he’d seen so far.

“Sure,” Callen agreed.

“We’ll start with hand to hand, then move on to fighting sticks and finally knives,” Ronon told him. “I know you’re probably used to solving things with a gun, but Sheppard wants to know what you can do if one isn’t available.”

Callen wanted to protest that; there were plenty of occasions when he ended up fighting because a gun wasn’t an option for some reason, but decided to save his breath. It wasn’t worth having the argument.

As he and Ronon moved into ready positions, Callen wasn’t surprised that the Marines in the room gathered around to watch. As NCIS agents, his and Sam’s reputations would have preceded them even on Atlantis. There was some inter-service rivalry between the Marines and the SEALS, so Callen would have to make sure he didn’t let his partner down. 

*

When Ronon’s evaluation was finally done, Callen collapsed on the bench to one side of the room, tipping the contents of his water bottle over his head. He thought he’d done okay against the much bigger – and younger – man in their one-on-one fight. The Marines in the room clapped and cheered, before going back to their own training.

“Good job,” Ronon settled beside him on the bench and handed over another bottle of water.

Callen took it with a grateful nod and gulped the cold water with relief, not caring when some ran down his chin. “Thanks,” he finally managed to say breathlessly.

They sat in silence for a while, watching the Marines training together. 

“Where’d you learn to fight like that?” Ronon finally asked.

Callen snorted. “You’ve met my partner right?”

“Yeah.”

Callen gestured. “We’ve been partners over five years and train together every day. He’s 6ft 3, 225lb, the two of you aren’t that different.”

“I guess,” Ronon agreed and they settled into silence again.

Callen was just thinking that he might be able to get up and head for the locker room when Ronon spoke again. “So what’s your title?”

“I’m sorry?” Callen turned to look at him startled by the unexpected question.

“All the Earthers I’ve met seem to have some sort of title,” Ronon explained. “Colonel Sheppard, Dr McKay,” he gestured at the room. “All these Marines have ranks, the scientists are all doctors, even though they’re specialists in different things, then there’s the medical doctors. The support staff all have job titles. Your partner was introduced as a Senior Chief Petty Officer, but not you. And you only have one name.”

Callen blew out a breath at that. He hadn’t been expecting such a direct question. “It’s uh, it’s a long story,” he managed.

“Which part?” Ronon asked. 

Callen looked sideways at him, but could see only curiosity in his expression. “The name thing,” he said. “The title thing is just because they haven’t decided what my role is here yet.”

Ronon shrugged. “S’okay if you don’t want to tell me,” he said. “We don’t know each other and not everyone likes to share. I get that.”

Callen thought he probably did. He’d been given files on all the senior personnel before he’d agreed to join Atlantis, including Ronon and Teyla, so he was aware of the basics of Ronon’s past. 

“I guess I don’t mind telling you,” he admitted. “I’ve just never really told anyone the whole story before. And I don’t know how much you know about our cultures or history, but it gets pretty confusing even if you’re from Earth.”

“Well if you’re willing to try, I’m happy to ask questions when I don’t know stuff,” Ronon told him. “Happens all the time when I talk to McKay or Sheppard or watch any of their movies and stuff.”

“Alright,” Callen agreed. “But can we go somewhere else?”

Ronon nodded and bounced to his feet. “Let’s go to the mess,” he suggested. “It’s nearly lunch time anyway.”

Callen groaned as he levered himself upright, envying the other man his energy even after a morning spent in the gym. “As long as I get to shower first.”

“Of course,” Ronon agreed.

As Callen followed him to the locker room, he thought he might just have made himself a new friend here in Atlantis and he found that he liked the idea.

**Author's Note:**

> Can be considered part of the same universe as my fic "A Poison Tree" (https://archiveofourown.org/works/20802929) but you don't need to have read that to understand this.


End file.
